Credit card companies aren't always transparent when it comes to their policies and procedures, and this can lead to trouble down the road. CardHub, an independent site that provides a variety of information on these providers, studied the major companies to find out which was most forthcoming and which likes to hide the most information.

Capital One topped the list this year with a transparency score of 98.6%. Citi came in second place with a score of 96.4%, which is a leap up from the 82.1% they earned last year. Barclays rounded out the bottom of the list with a measly 62%. So what do these percentages actually mean? CardHub explains:

We visited the online applications of the top 10 issuers, based on outstanding balances, and subjectively evaluated how clear key information was based on the ease with which we could locate it. The issuers were assigned points for each card based on how visible this information was within the page, whether we had to click to a new page to find pricing information, and whether we had to read the fine print to find these key components.

If you're thinking of applying for a new credit card, CardHub's full study is one you'll want to check out before you do. It includes information on popular cards so you can see if the one you want is hiding anything from you during the application process.